Paul Greene of Los Angeles on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Paul Greene and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul , thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Playing Music, either writing late at night or live streaming, with my looper, keyboard, vocals and guitar.. just losing all sense of time.. Also long walks on the beach with music in headphones or just the ocean sounds

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Paul Greene. I’m a storyteller at heart—whether that’s through acting, music, or the transformational work I do through our wellness company, Freedom Alchemist. Most people know me from film and television, but what really lights me up is helping people reconnect with their health, their purpose, and their joy.

Freedom Alchemist is where that passion lives. Alongside my partner Kate Austin, we guide people—especially those at a crossroads in life—through deep, lasting change. Our work blends functional health, emotional healing, and identity transformation. It’s about getting to the root of what’s holding people back and helping them rise into who they really are.

I’m currently working on a new music project, some acting roles I’m excited about, and expanding our high-level programs to support leaders and creatives who are ready to reclaim their energy and rewrite their next chapter.

Whether it’s through a song, a role, or a coaching session, my mission is to wake people up to what’s possible.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
For me, that person was Mr. E.–Larry Ethier. who passed suddenly several years ago.

Our unlikely friendship started way back in 1989 when I entered high school. Mr. Ethier taught me biology, he was my vice-principal in high school, he was my mentor, my volleyball coach, and, at the time, what seemed like my only ally in the world. Needless to say, he was the answer to all my parent’s fervent prayers.

Around that time, it seemed quite easy for me to get myself into all kinds of trouble. But Larry saw something inside of me that no one else did. He stuck his neck out for me many times to keep me from being suspended or expelled. Larry taught me a lot about being a young man, and having integrity, respect, and courage. I’m really not sure how my life would have turned out without the influence of this incredible force of nature in my life.

Larry remained my friend over the last 25 years, I had the opportunity to see him and spend Easter with him and his family in Osaka, Japan. He came to New York when my son Oliver was born. Lunch in Vancouver when I was shooting film, and several deep and memorable visits in Edmonton. I could call Larry when I was in trouble, confused, or stuck.

One time, I was without understanding of how to deal with the situation with my son at school. Oliver was struggling, and I did not know how to handle it. So I reached out to my Zen, Yoda, Jedi-Like bud in the north for help. And with great humility, he just shared a story with me of the school that he was asked to watch over for a year in Dubai. The only thing that they told him was that he could not “change anything.” Once he saw the bullying, suspension, expelling, and dysfunction he couldn’t help but work his award-winning magic and turn that ship in a different direction. He shared with me that he implemented a simple rule, that the students would come up with their own consequences for their actions. They would be responsible for their behavior, and learn to be young men and women and be ready for the real world. Needless to say, within a few months, that school was healthy.

It didn’t take too long for me to use this very same rule with Oliver and get through what seemed like an insurmountable problem with relative ease and grace.
Today, I challenge you to take a page out of Larry’s playbook and look for the good in people, look for some opportunity to be of service, to mentor somebody, to coach, to look for the gold in those that others have turned away. Cultivate the ability to see what’s right in a given moment instead of only seeing what is wrong.

What a difference we could make in this world.

I sure know that Larry would like that.

Sometimes it only takes one…

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
After one of those gut-punch failures, I told myself: “I’m proud I had the guts to try.”

Because trying changes you. Even if it doesn’t go your way, you grow. You learn. You become someone who shows up. I’ve had close to 750 auditions in my career—and about 700 of them were “No.” That’s a lot of rejection. But every “no” brought me closer to the roles that mattered.

Wayne Gretzky saidYou miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

not taking the shot is the only real failure.

I’d rather fail fast and forward than sit on the sidelines wondering “what if?” Because failing means you were in the arena. And that’s where life actually happens.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
That life is happening for you, not to you.

I can’t scientifically prove it, but I’ve lived enough, fallen enough, and risen enough to know in my bones that even the hardest moments are part of a bigger unfolding. Sometimes the detour is the path. The obstacle is the way, often times the thing that breaks you open is the thing that sets you free.

When I look back at the darkest times, I can see how they shaped me, refined me, redirected me. And while I wouldn’t wish pain on anyone, I deeply believe that life is always trying to wake us up, not take us out.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Fun. Adventure. Discovery. Joy. Play. Family.
The grit to rebuild if necessary.
The lessons I’ve earned.
And a deeper sense of self—stripped of titles, applause, and the external stuff.

What would remain is me—the real me. The one who finds magic in the mundane, who loves hard, laughs loud, and still believes life is a wild, beautiful ride worth showing up for.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Laurent Levy, Kathleen Butler

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than